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[Rocket67]

When I look back at threads from years back there was a LOT of participation in this forum.  I remember back when I was part of TexasATVs.com and how many people where on there, the site is now defunct.  What happened?  Was it Facebook?  Was it the fact that the VTX stopped production in 2010?  Is it just the way things go?  When I look in the rides section, there is little going on.

What do you attribute the downward spiral of user participation to? 

[Rocket67]

In retrospect, the HDForum has over 3000 logged on as I type this.  It is a GLOBAL forum though but doesn't seem to have lost any steam due to Facebook. 

[matap]

I don't know.  That's a good question.  Personally for me I guess I just got busy and with having different brand motorcycles I asked less questions because I had to ask elsewhere.

When I bought my road glide back in 2012 I joined www.roadglide.org but I still frequented here all the time.  Now that I have my 2017 road king I still only really frequent this forum and roadglide.org because of the friendships I have made.  HDforums.com not too much but they have a sub-thread for Road Kings. 

I think I mentioned this on another post but I think there is going to be a generational gap and it will pick up again but for now it's slow. 

Have all the social media outlets affected online forums?  I think so.  you got to remember that the internet open to the public has only been around about 20-25 years at max.  Forums and chat rooms were really the only way to connect on a social media standpoint. 

People posted on forums to voice their opinion or 'matter of fact' to themselves and to show off something they were proud of but now you can do it from your phone.  Why bother posting a second time on a forum?! 

I know I have slowed down quite a bit on posting in forums but I don't really post much on social media either. 

 

[Rocket67]

I am on HD Forums mostly for what you said, I look up stuff and check out the classifieds.  I do read some posts when I have spare time but usually only when I am at lunch.  I like coming here because I know almost everyone who posts on a regular basis now and see most of them once a year at BBT. 

I think some falloff has to do with the reality that a lot of folks buy a bike and ride a little bit then park it in a garage.  Since the VTX is no longer in production there is not a refreshing of membership as much as there was when you could still venture to you local Honda dealer and pick one up.  So, when someone loses interest there is not someone behind them to pick up the slack.  What I see now it a bunch of die-hards that have logged many thousands of miles together and have bonded beyond the brand name of their bike.  I mean that in the best possible way or course. 

Cheers.   

[matap]

Yeah look at me.  I've owned 8 different motorcycles since I joined this forum way back in 2009.  I'm so diluted now people just know I still ride but am sure they forget what I ride.